


Slow and Close

by aljohnson



Category: Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gentle Romance, nightcaps, series 3 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-05-30
Packaged: 2018-04-02 02:20:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4042009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aljohnson/pseuds/aljohnson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After much consideration, my version of what happened after the end of 'Murder and Mozzarella'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Slow and Close

It was halfway down the second glass of wine that Jack felt courageous enough to speak. He cleared his throat. “Phryne,” he began.

The use of her first name caused her to sit up slightly. She had noticed he had used her name earlier in this case. That was unusual, and she found she rather liked it. Especially _because_ it hadn’t been in a life-threatening situation.

Jack continued, “It’s been brought to my attention that my heart is taken.”

“Oh.” Said Phryne, not sure whether she felt hope or disappointment. “And who was it who made you aware, of that…”

“Concetta. She was offering me, well, everything. But it wasn’t what I wanted.”

“It wasn’t what you wanted?”

“No. It turns out, I want something else entirely.”

“Oh” said Phryne, almost on a whisper. 

"My heart is taken, Phryne, by you" Jack added, just so there could be no more misunderstandings.

“Guido said…”

Jack held his breath. He rather imagined Guido had said a lot of things. A lot of very seductive things, and in Italian that was beyond Jack’s understanding. But plainly not Phryne’s.

She continued. “Guido said ‘whoever he is, he’s a lucky man’.” Phryne glanced up from her glass of wine to meet Jack’s gaze.

Jack swallowed, slowly, taking another sip from his glass of wine, before laying it down on the coffee table between them. It was as close as either of them would come to actually saying what they felt, Jack knew that.

“So what happens now?” he asked.

“I’m never going to change, Jack.”

“I said I would never ask you to. And I meant that.”

“I’m going to carry on going out dancing, and drinking. And chasing after dubious criminal types all over Melbourne.”

“And I’m going to carry on getting a good night’s sleep. When I can. But maybe we could chase after the dubious criminal types together? Co-operation, if you will.”

Phryne chuckled. “Oh Jack, whatever is to become of us?”

“I hope, quite a lot, Phryne,” said Jack, reaching out his hand and brushing her hair behind her ear. “And I would very much like it if we could spend more time together.”

Phryne nodded, carefully. Guido had been lovely, briefly, but there had been a nagging voice in the back of her mind telling her it was not what she really wanted. Compton had also been lovely, albeit he had been trying to distract her. She had mused at the time that this was why she resisted allowing herself to become lustfully compromised during cases, but she had been so _good_ lately, and she had allowed herself to be taken in by Lyle – the lure of the familiar. Guido, she had realised very quickly, was a reaction to the sudden revelation that Jack had a woman in his life who was not her. Jealousy, she supposed. It was quite surprising.

But this, Jack, was so scary, so terrifying a prospect. “I would like that too, Jack. You are so, different, Jack.”

“We should probably take this slowly.”

“Yes,” agreed Phryne, wondering whether her relief was evident in that one word.  

“So for now, I should go.” Jack added. He leaned forward, and pressed his lips gently to Phryne’s cheek. Pausing slightly, he allowed his fingers to caress her neck, tenderly. He pressed his lips to her cheek once more before he sat back, and swept his hands briskly over his thighs. Standing carefully he adjusted his tie as he turned towards the parlour doors.

Phryne remained rooted to her chair in the parlour. How could such an innocent act make her feel such warmth?

As Jack retrieved his overcoat and hat from the stand, Phryne followed him into the hallway.

“Jack?”

Jack finished fixing his coat and hat, adjusting the angle of the latter. “Phryne, it is very late. I should already be tucked up with a good book and a warm milk.”

“Are their charms greater than mine?”

“Not at all, Phryne. But they are considerably safer.”

“Jack?”

“Slowly, Phryne. There’s no need for us to rush, is there?”

Phryne thought about it for a moment. They had been taking it nothing but ‘slowly’ as far as she was concerned, but she was suddenly grateful for that.  “No, of course not Jack. Slowly. Of course.” She smiled and moved to open the front door. Raising herself up she pressed her lips to Jack’s cheek. “This will do, for now,” she murmured.

Jack felt his hand twitching as he stopped himself from reaching for Phryne’s waist to pull her to him and kiss her properly. She was going to drive him crazy. Well, she already did drive him crazy; it was just going to be even worse. “Good night, Miss Fisher.”

“Good night, Jack.” Phyrne watched him as he walked down the drive, turning as he closed the gate. Smiling, he lifted his hat in acknowledgement, turning to walk to the tram stop.


End file.
